Cop: Accused was aggressive

Man in temple desecration case was of unsound mind, policeman tells court

IPOH: A man charged with desecrating a Hindu temple here was described as aggressive and being of unsound mind, a Sessions Court heard.

Kpl Badrol Hisam Jamaludin said while arresting Fathi Munzir Nadzri, the accused acted aggressively and resisted arrest.

He said the accused also seemed weak as he was lying by the side of the road after his car crashed into a bus stop along Jalan Ghazali Jawi near here. The suspect was taken to the Sungai Senam police station, where he continued his aggressive behaviour.

“Later we received information that someone had damaged several deities at the Sree Muneeswaran Amman Kovil Temple.

“The same team headed to the site and saw statues of the deities broken and lying on the floor.

“The temple’s priest described the accused as the one who carried out the act, giving us his physical and car details and registration number plate,” said Kpl Badrol at the trial before Judge Ikmal Hishan Mohd Tajuddin here yesterday.

Fathi Munzir, 29, whose father is a former assemblyman, was charged on April 29 at a Sessions Court under Section 295 of the Penal Code with damaging the idols at the temple at about 5pm on April 24.

If found guilty, he could be jailed for two years or fined.

He was also charged under Section 6 of the Corrosive, Explosive and Dangerous Weapons Act with wielding a parang during the incident and faces a jail term of up to 10 years and whipping if guilty.

The prosecution team was led by state prosecution director Yusaini Amer Abdul Karim and deputy public prosecutor Fadhli Ab Wahab, while Fathi Munzir was represented by counsel Tun Ammar Aziz.

The trial continues today.